In recent years, high efficiency and high productivity have been required more and more to process color photographic materials. This is particularly the case for the production of color prints, for which a reduction in print processing time has been strongly desired with a view towards short finishing times.
Color print finishing comprises exposure and color development processing. The use of highly sensitive photographic materials in color print processing results in a reduction in exposure time. On the other hand, in order to shorten the time of color development, it is necessary to realize systems in which photographic materials capable of speeding development are combined with processing solutions or processing methods. Techniques for solving such problems are known such as the methods of processing color photographic materials containing silver halide emulsions other than silver chlorobromide emulsions which are high in silver bromide content, such techniques are widely used for photographic materials for color prints and are hereinafter referred to as color photographic paper. For example, PCT International Publication No. W088/00723 discloses the method of processing rapidly a color photographic material comprising a silver chloride emulsion with a color developing solution substantially free from a sulfite ion and benzyl alcohol.
In addition to the above patent, JP-A-61-70552 (the term "JP-A" as used therein means an "unexamined published Japanese patent application") discloses a method for reducing the quantity of replenisher of a developing solution, in which the replenisher is added in such an amount that an overflow to a developing bath does not take place during development, using a high silver chloride color photographic material. Further, JP-A-63-106655 discloses the method of processing a high silver chloride color photographic material with a color developer containing a hydroxylamine compound and chlorine ions at a concentration of at least a specific value, for the purpose of stabilizing processing.
By the use of the high silver chloride emulsions or improvements in developing solutions, the time of development is shortened from 3.5 minutes (for example, color processing CP-20, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.) to 45 seconds (for example, color processing CP-40FAS, Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd., total processing time: 4 minutes). However, compared to the total processing time of other color systems such as electrostatic image transfer systems, thermal transfer systems, and ink jet systems these methods cannot be said to be yet at a sufficient level.
For this reason, development of a silver halide color photographic material for very rapid processing in which the total processing time is considerably reduced so that the material can be developed in about 20 seconds using silver halide color developing systems to thus provide color prints high in image quality at low cost are desired.
On the other hand, the use of techniques other than emulsion techniques for rapid processing have also been studied. In particular, such techniques are ones in which the developing time can be reduced to 180 seconds or less in silver chlorobromide systems; ones that involve the control of the swollen thickness of photographic materials or the applied amount of gelatins by processing solutions; or ones involving novel developing agents. Examples of these are proposed in JP-A-63-38937, JP-A-63-40144, JP-A-63- 146039, JP-A-61-286855, JP-A-61-289350, and JP-A-61-286854.
It has been however impossible to obtain color photographs having sufficiently high image quality using color development of about 20 seconds, based on the above prior-art information.
Further, in color photographic materials for which very rapid processing is possible, it is of course important as merchandise value to shorten the total processing time from the initiation of processing to the termination thereof (production of a print in a dried state). In particular, however, when a washing stage is simplified and speeded up, developing solution components and bleaching-fixing solution components remain in the photographic materials in larger amounts, when compared with the case that washing is carried out for a relatively long time as disclosed in the prior-art.
It is known that residual developing solution components and bleaching-fixing solution components in photographic materials effect the shelf life of prints. Residual color developing agents react with unreacted couplers to produce undesired stains. When the bleaching components remain in the photographic materials, the atmosphere of the photographic materials is changed to an oxidizing one, so that yellow stains are produced particularly under the circumstances of high temperature and humidity. Such stains can be ameliorated by keeping the pH of the photographic materials low. However, lowering the pH exacerbates the fading of cyan and yellow colors under the circumstances of high temperature and humidity.
In JP-A-58-14834, JP-A-61-20864, JP-A-60-263939, JP-A- 61-170742, JP-A-58-132743, and JP-A-61-151538 are described techniques for avoiding the introduction of coloring components in photographic materials or for making them colorless when washing is not sufficient. In all cases, however, the washing time and the washing amount are extremely decreased in very rapid processing. As a result, developing solution components and bleaching-fixing solution components are introduced to the photographic materials in larger amounts than those in the prior-art washing, which results in an insufficient effect. In particular, in continuous processing, coloring components from bleaching-fixing baths are introduced to the photographic materials in larger amounts, and the coloring components remain therein. Consequently, when the resulting prints are stored under the circumstances of high temperature and humidity, stains are generated on the white portions or the image portions are faded thus lowering the merchandise value thereof.